Approximately 3 to 6 million people in the UK suffer from urinary incontinence – the involuntary passing of urine.

Elderly urinary incontinence is a very treatable condition, but often people are reluctant or embarrassed to seek medical attention.

Urinary incontinence affects twice as many women as men. 75-80% of those with it are women, and more than 20% of people are over 85.

Research suggests that one in four women over the age of 18 experience at least occasional episodes of urine leakage.

There have been six Urine Therapy World Congresses at which it was claimed that drinking urine has cured TB, HIV, malaria, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

Urinary Incontinence

Urge incontinence Urge and stress incontinence (below) account for nine out of ten cases of urinary incontinence. Urge incontinence is when urine leaks as you feel the urgent need to urinate. It can be caused by infections, certain medications or by drinking too much alcohol or coffee. It can also be caused by strokes, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s or injuries.

Stress incontinence is when the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to prevent urination, causing urine to leak when the bladder is under pressure, for instance when coughing or laughing. Pregnancy, childbirth and lack of oestrogen post menopause are the main causes in women. Prostrate cancer and treatments are the main causes in men.

Overflow incontinence is when the bladder never fully empties so there is the frequent feeling of needing to urinate or leaking of urine. This arises from an obstruction in the urinary tract, a weak bladder due to an enlarged prostate, damage from surgery, constipation, fecal impaction and nerve damage from strokes or diabetes.

Functional incontinence is the inability to reach the loo in time, perhaps because of arthritis (the slow undoing of buttons or zips), bad hips, neurological disorders, stroke complications, Alzheimerʼs or Multiple Sclerosis.

Mixed incontinence is when a patient suffers from a combination of the above. Total incontinence is severe and continuous. It usually happens as a result of a congenital bladder disorder, after surgery, or following an injury.

Treatment

This depends on the type of UI a sufferer has and the severity of symptoms. There are several different types of incontinence products on the market which help matters along with initial, conservative treatments. These might include lifestyle changes (losing weight, for example, and/or reducing caffeine intake) and pelvic floor muscle training and bladder training. After this, surgery and medication are available.